We were walking to through the woods because of someone's brilliant idea to make a shrine for Ali.
I was so tired and I had smoked a joint before coming here. And yet again I found myself lost in my thoughts.
"You're worried what other people think?" Emily asked. Aren't we all at this point?
"Well, aren't you? Do you really want to give that creepy Detective more reasons to question us?" Argued Spencer.
"Cassie, Hanna, why are you so quiet?"
"I'm trying to keep the bugs in my nose and out of my mouth." My sister replied, but I didn't say anything, there was too much happening inside my head.
"You're allowed to have an opinion on this." Emily told us.
"You want my opinion? I say we hold off and not remember her 'til we know for sure she's not still here." Hanna snapped.
"What?" They all said.
"What are you talking about?" Aria asked.
"Hanna, they found her body." Argued Spencer. "Cassie what do you think?"
I sighed. "I think Hanna has a point."
"What? Why?"
"Look the way I see it there are three possibilities. The first one: Ali is Alive. Two: someone has been stalking us for years gathering our secrets. Or three: Ali told someone everything she knew about us." I said. "And I don't know about you but I think the first one is the less scary."
"Stop. I'm officially scared. Can we just not..." Aria said.
"You know, you asked for our opinion." I said.
"We went to her funeral!" Screamed Spencer.
"Yeah, and when we left we all got a text from her." Hanna countered.
"Okay, this conversation is giving me a hive." Snapped Aria.
"That's a bite. Mosquito." Hanna told her.
"Spencer, have you gotten any more messages?" Emily asked her.
"Haven't you?"
We hear branches rustling. "What was that? Did you hear that?" Emily said.
"Yes, I heard that. I'm standing right next to you." Aria whispered-yelled.
"Hello? Is anybody out there?" Hanna asked
"It's probably a rabbit." Spencer guessed.
"Hello?" Hanna tried again.
"It's a rabbit, Hanna. It's not gonna answer you." Spence told her.
"When is it just a rabbit?" I said. Then we heard more branches rustling
"Okay, that is definitely not a rabbit. Someone's out there." Hanna said.
And of course our phones rang at the worst possible moment.
'Heads up, BFFs. It's open season on liars and I'm hunting... -A'
<><><><>
The next day I was with Hanna and, unfortunately, Mona when Noel and Sean spotted us.
"I knew I smelled smoke. Noel were you thinking again?" I joked.
"Hilarious" he replied sarcastically. "Will I see you at my party tonight?" He asked me.
"I don't know, will there be alcohol?"
"Obviously."
"Then yes you will." I replied. I shared a look with Hanna when we saw Toby Cavannaugh, the guy who took the blame for us. "Don't forget the vodka." I said before walking toward the other girls.
"He's back, too? When did that happen?" Aria said.
"Maybe she needs help sending radioactive e-mails." My sister said referring to Jenna.
"Yeah, or he may be sending a few of his own." Spencer added.
"Hanna." Fuck, that voice always manages to send shivers down my spine. "I just spoke with your principal, asked him if we could have a chat." Wilden said. "Cassandra I like a chat with you too afterwards"
"No, we have to get to class." Hanna said .
"Don't worry. You've been excused. Let's go."
"What is going on? Why just you two?" Aria asked me after Hanna left.
I shook my head. "I don't know." I did know, he was trying to intimidate us because of our... past...
"Probably thinks she's the easiest to crack." Emily suggested.
"She is." Replied Spencer.
"Whisper, whisper, whisper. Almost feels like Alison's still here." Jenna said as she passed by.
"Oh Jenna, as always you bring joy to every room you exit. So why don't you do us all a favor and leave." I said and Spencer stepped harshly on my foot. "Ouch! What? I can't be honest because she's blind?" She just rolled her eyes. "I better go. I'll see you guys later."
I waited for Hanna to finish her interview with Darren. When she came out of the office she looked like she wanted to either cry or punch him. "Cassandra your turn." He said.
I looked at Hanna. "Are you okay?" She nodded.
"What did you say to her?!" I asked Wilden once we were alone.
"I just asked her why she changed her appearance to look more like Alison."
"What?! How is that relevant to the investigation?"
"She replaced Alison, becoming the popular girl. So it is relevant if she got jealous and wanted to take her place."
"Oh my god that's ridiculous. It's things like this that make me question evolution. Hanna would never hurt Ali." I snapped, but immediately regretted it as Wilden started walking towards me, backing me into a corner.
"That mouth of yours will get you killed." He said.
I swallowed. "Sorry." I whispered.
"I'm sure you'll find a way to make it up to me." He said with an evil smirk. "Now, let's talk about why you are here." He added pulling away from me. "I want you to tell me about this secret boyfriend."
"I don't know anything." I said truthfully. "I didn't know Alison had a boyfriend, all I knew was that she had a thing for older guys."
He stared at me. "Fine. You can leave." He said signaling the door. "Oh, and don't forget you have to make it up to me. See you tomorrow."
<><><><><>
I went back to the girls, but Hanna wasn't there. "Where's Hanna?" I asked.
"She went to the bathroom." Aria told me. "She was acting weird."
"Yeah she looked upset when she left Wilden's office."
"What did you talk about?" Spencer asked.
"He just asked about the night Ali disappeared." I lied. "I think he's hoping the story will change and suddenly we'll confess to Ali's murder." They nodded. "I have to go, I'll see you at Noel's party."
At Noel's party I saw him and Sean. "Hey." I greeted.
"Damn you look hot." Noel said.
"I always look hot." I replied. "Where's the vodka?"
Noel smirked. "Kitchen. How about we play a game to see who can last longer."
Now it was my time to smirk. "Get ready to loose Khan." We drank 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... I lost count of how many shots we drank, all I know is that I won and at that moment it felt like it was the only good thing in my life. I know, dramatic much? But trust me at this point beating Noel was a highlight in my life.
As the party was coming to an end I tried to find my sister, still drunk as fuck, but she was nowhere to be found. I was in no state to make decisions but there was no one to stop me, so I called Theo. I'm not entirely sure what I said, all I knew is that he was on his way to pick me up.
"Are you okay?" He asked once I got into his car.
"Do you want the truth or the 'I'm fine' bullshit."
"The truth please"
"I feel like I'm slowly digging the hole I'm going to be buried in." I said.
"I'm sorry."
"Can you please stop apologizing?" I snapped. "And could you please stop looking so good all the damn time."
He smirked. Unlike Wilden his smirk wasn't cruel or evil, I mean it was smug and annoyingly confident, but at the same time it was playful and comforting. "If it makes you feel any better I think you look gorgeous all the time, so I guess we're even."
I chuckled. "Where are we going?" I asked.
"I figured you wouldn't want your mom to see you so I'm taking you to my house." I was about to protest when he spoke again. "No one will know, don't worry." I nodded.
We got to his room and I was barely conscious when he placed me on his bed. "Thank you. I love you." I said, my voice barely audible, but my brain couldn't register the words that had come out, nor did I register his words after that.
"I love you" he whispered back and kissed my forehead before getting ready to sleep in a mattress on the floor.
<><><><>
The next day I sneaked out of Theo's room early in the morning so I wouldn't wake anyone up. I also left I note thanking him and apologizing for whatever I'd said the night before.
Hours later I was walking through the woods again. "Alison wanted us across the street so she could have it out with Toby. Ali had something on him." Spencer explained.
"Besides being a total perv who peeped in our windows?" Hanna said.
"Yeah, something way bigger, and she was threatening to tell everybody. That's why he took the fall for us."
"Why are you waiting until now to tell us?" Asked Aria.
"I don't know. Ali made me promise, and... I guess I was scared. I thought if we never talked about that night again, it would just go away." Answered Spencer.
"Well, it's not going away. Not unless we toss our phones and join the Navy." Aria said. Not a bad idea at all, it would certainly make all my problems go away. After that I couldn't pay attention anymore, not when my hangover was threatening to kill me.
We heard the branches rustle like we did the other day, but this time we found something.
"Look." My sister said pointing at the bracelet.
"Is that yours?"
"Alison's."